Easier For Me
by tenneyshoes
Summary: When her husband lost his memories, he asked how she could handle things so easily. She answered that it was simply easier for her. Now that their situations have been reversed, how will Hinata handle waking up with no memory of how she got there? For BentShurikan.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, guys, here's a new one. It is not what you are expecting however. At least I don't think it is. While I was writing The Path We Walk, I made an allusion to how different things could have turned out if it had been **_**Hinata**_** losing her memory rather than **_**Naruto**_**. BentShurikan, here is your AU.**

**Before everybody starts panicking, THIS IS AN AU! It has nothing to do with the reality I have been creating in Sparks or The Path We Walk. It is completely separate except for maybe concept. This is more of a standalone than a companion to either of those stories. **

**This is going to be a two part story. I will post the second part next week at the very latest.**

**I hope you all enjoy it!**

**XXX**

There was something warm in her hand. That pleasant sensation was the first thing Hinata was aware of. The second thing was a dull throbbing at the back of her head, which was decidedly _less_ pleasant, that was slowly but steadily growing. Whether she couldn't move or simply didn't have the desire to, she wasn't sure, so she focused on that warmth in her hand, like a bright little flame to distract herself from the pain advancing toward her eyes.

She had no concept of time. She could have been lying there for minutes or days, she didn't know. She simply _was_. And that throbbing in her head made her question whether that was a good thing or not.

She didn't really like the feeling, this drifting in seemingly nothing that had no beginning she could remember and no fathomable end she could see. That little flame of warmth between her fingers became an anchor, grounding her to something, even if she didn't really know what that something was.

Very slowly, although it could have been all at once, she wasn't really sure, she surfaced from the nothingness and her eyes flickered open.

A stark white ceiling greeted her apathetically, one that seemed vaguely familiar but that she didn't outright recognize. There was a dull beeping to her right and when she glanced that way she found a large machine, humming quietly and bleeping in a steady rhythm that matched her heart beat. From the very minimal medical training she had been exposed to, Hinata recognized the machine as a heart rate monitor. She knew it could do many other things at the same time, but the details, including its proper name, escaped her. As she expanded her attention, she realized she was in a private room of Konoha hospital. On a small nightstand flowers and get well wishes cluttered together in a chaotic pile.

That warm little glow in her left hand reasserted itself and Hinata turned to see what had steadied her so diligently when she had drifted aimlessly.

Beside her, his head laying on the bed next to their clasped hands, slept a man she would recognize in a heartbeat even if a thousand years passed without her seeing his face. His bright unruly hair was lying haphazardly in all directions, as usual, his bangs sweeping low over his closed eyes, brushing the bridge of his straight nose. His lips were parted slightly and he was breathing softly. It was a rare sight to see Naruto Uzumaki so still and quiet, and the serenity of it all nearly took Hinata's breath away.

_Why is he here?_ She wondered after taking a moment to just enjoy his presence. It wasn't that she was upset to see him. On the contrary, that familiar fluttering that started in her belly whenever she saw him was present and she could feel a soft smile tugging at her lips. But it didn't make sense. He had never come to visit her in the hospital before, so why now?

_Come to think of it, why am _I _here?_ Hinata looked down at herself. She was dressed in a crisp, stiff hospital gown. Her left hand was still caught up in Naruto's but her right had been laid across her lap and she noticed it was covered in small scratches and tiny clean cuts. Her entire forearm was bandaged. She didn't dare move too much for fear of waking the man beside her, but slowly, Hinata began to catalogue her bumps and bruises. Her ribs hurt, a dull ache with every breath. From her waist down, a crème blanket hid her body. She knew if she tried to move it, her visitor would wake up, but she examined as much as she could. Her right leg seemed larger than her left, oddly bulky under the blanket. Carefully, she tried wiggling her toes. The five on her left responded readily, but when she tried to move the ones on her right foot, lances of pain shot up her leg. She only barely kept herself from gasping aloud, although her hands balled into fists.

When the pain subsided she slowly took in a deep breath before activating her Byakugan. To her left was the familiar bright blue glow of Naruto's chakra. Aside from his smile it was easily the most beautiful thing she had ever seen and she had to consciously tell herself to focus and not allow herself to be hypnotized by the swirling dance that his chakra played out as he slept. Instead, she turned her attention to her leg and cringed at the damage she saw. Her femur was practically shattered. Hairline fractures webbed across the bone spanning nearly six inches. She could see trace remnants of foreign chakra that she identified as Lady Tsunade's tying the fragments together. Her ribs throbbed again and she took a closer look at her torso, finding the lowest rib on her right side was broken, and the three above it were cracked. Like with her leg, Lady Tsunade's chakra coated her bones, holding them in place. There were pools created by internal bleeding all along the right side of her body and even around her brain, although she could see most of the damage had been taken care of and she was quickly mending.

_What on earth happened to me?_ The grisly images faded away as she released her Byakugan. Without thinking, she lifted her hands to her face, startling Naruto awake.

He inhaled sharply and raised his head, his eyes blinking at her owlishly. A moment later his sleepy brain caught up with his eyes and a surprised excited grin washed over his face.

"Hinata! You're awake!" he exclaimed, rising to his feet and leaning toward her. He moved as if he was going to embrace her but stopped short, his eyes glancing down to her ribs. "How do you feel? Are you ok? Are you in pain? That thing," he said, gesturing to a strange little device clipped to her gown, "will give you a shot of painkiller if you need it." He gently grabbed hold of the little device and mimed pressing the button on top and Hinata was vividly aware of how close his hand was to her breast. When he gently laid the device back down his fingers brushed against her through the _absurdly_ thin fabric and Hinata became abruptly aware of the fact that she was _not_ wearing a bra under her gown. The familiar warmth in her face and neck hailed her bright blush.

Naruto didn't seem to notice anything strange in the way he so casually touched her, nor in her state of undress, which Hinata found startling. It wasn't that he was trying to be a pervert, but there was a casualness and familiarity to it she had never experienced with a person before, let alone with him, and she felt like her entire body was on pins and needles. They were friends, sure, but to her never ending sorrow, she would never have said they were close and to see him acting so casually with her was unsettling in its unfamiliarity.

The next thing she knew, Naruto's broad chest was inches away from her nose. He was leaning over her, across the bed, to press a button on the wall. A little light blinked twice and Naruto moved back, smiling at her, and took her hand again, almost as if it was a habit.

"That should call Sakura or Granny. We've been waiting for you to wake up, but I don't know which one is on call right now."

His words distracted her from the mystery that was his presence and brought her back to the reality of her situation. She was in the hospital with relatively serious injuries and from the sound of things had been here for a while. She tried to think back, remember what could have happened to land her in the hospital, but nothing came to mind. Her head was muddled and foggy and she couldn't remember anything when she tried to focus. Her head began to throb more, growing from a minor annoyance to truly uncomfortable pain, and she shifted, forgetting about her leg until the moment the sensation of knives driving into her flesh reached her brain. She gasped sharply and bit her lip for a moment before clicking the little button. If Naruto said it would give her painkillers that was all she really cared about at the moment.

For his part, Naruto was watching her anxiously, his hands hovering uselessly as he tried to find a way to help. "What happened? Are you ok?" he asked frantically.

She was still biting her lip, waiting for the last few tremors of pain to fade and absently wondering how long it would take the painkillers to kick in, but she nodded. As the pain faded, Hinata became increasingly aware of his unwavering attention.

Over the years she had learned that Naruto's attention span had two basic settings. There was the default setting that allowed his brain to jump from one subject, through about six others and land on another before once again leaping to something else entirely in about forty seconds, and then there was the less often seen one track setting that allowed him to concentrate on one single thing for hours at a time. The subjects that usually displayed this setting were training, particularly with new jutsu, Sasuke, Sakura, or missions. Hinata had never been the target of this focused attention up until this very moment and she fidgeted self-consciously under his scrutiny.

She didn't know what to say, still puzzled over why he was even there, and she hoped Tsunade or Sakura would show up soon to dilute some of Naruto's attention. As it was, Kami must have decided to cut her a break because the door slid open and Tsunade Senju herself stepped through. When she saw Hinata sitting up in bed she smiled and stepped to the foot of the bed.

"Good to see you awake, Hinata," she greeted cheerfully and Hinata returned her smile uncertainly. "I'm going to look over some things and then we'll talk, all right?" Hinata nodded again and then tried to wait patiently as the Hokage fiddled with the heart rate monitor beside her bed and took her various vital signs. Hinata watched the clock, wishing the hands would tick faster as Tsunade worked and Naruto still fidgeted anxiously off to the side. After nearly ten agonizingly slow minutes, Tsunade spoke.

"Last thing, Hinata, and then we can talk. I need to have a look at your ribs. Naruto, can you get the back of her gown for her, please?" Tsunade asked as she began taking down notes on a chart.

_Back of my gown?_ Hinata wondered briefly before Naruto was beside her.

"Can you lean forward a bit, Princess? I need to get to the strings." His hand gently pressed against the back of her shoulder, prompting her to lean forward, and still not quite understanding, Hinata did, grimacing at the twinge in her ribs, although she could tell the painkillers had begun to kick in. Her skin felt hypersensitive when his fingers gently brushed the back of her neck as he gathered her hair and pulled it out of the way. An instant later his intentions became abundantly clear when she felt a tugging on the neckline of her hospital gown before it slackened and almost fell off entirely! She felt like her face was on fire and she was sure it was as bright as a signal flare. Her hands frantically grabbed the hem of her gown and she yanked it back up to her neck, looking to Tsunade, alarmed. The Hokage was still scribbling on the chart, oblivious to Hinata's dire situation.

Electricity shot up Hinata's spine when the knuckles on Naruto's hand brushed her back as he tugged at the next knot holding her gown closed.

_What is going on?_

It was the only thing Hinata could think, over and over again. She felt like her head was going to explode!

Finally, Naruto leaned back and looked expectantly to Tsunade. The medic finished her notes and then looked up. A small confused frown puckered her eyebrows when she saw Hinata was still holding the front of her gown against her neck self-consciously.

"Hinata, I need to look at your ribs," she repeated patiently.

"But-," Hinata began before cutting herself off. She glanced meaningfully at Naruto before looking back to the Hokage. Apparently she hadn't been as obvious as she'd hoped however, because Tsunade did not seem to understand her dilemma. Quickly gathering as much courage as she could, Hinata took a deep breath and tried to meet Naruto's eyes.

"Can… Can you p-please turn around, N-Naruto?" She could have kicked herself for stuttering but in her defense, she was being asked to disrobe in front of the man she had loved for as long as she could remember.

Naruto looked surprised and glanced at Tsunade before shrugging and beginning to turn. "Uh, yeah, no problem. I don't know what you're worried about though, 'Nata. It's not like I've never seen you naked," he said casually as he turned to face the wall.

"_What!_"

Her shriek startled the other two, Tsunade looking at her surprised, and Naruto had whipped right back around to stare at her, shock apparent on his face.

"What do you mean you've _seen me naked_!?" Naruto looked at her like she'd grown a second head.

"Hinata, what ar-"

"Shut up, Naruto," Tsunade interrupted harshly. Both young shinobi turned back to the Hokage. Her amber eyes were drilling holes into Hinata, a small line between her eyebrows as she calculated something.

"What is today?" she asked, presumably out of nowhere. It seemed like a random question but Hinata could tell it was obviously directed at her.

She hesitated, not sure if she should try to answer or just admit that she had no idea. Reluctantly, she chose the latter. "I… don't know. I don't know how long I've been asleep."

Tsunade nodded, as if she'd expected that answer. "Do you know who I am?" Hinata tried not to feel insulted by that question. It was ridiculous honestly, especially since she was still holding that damn gown to her chest in a pitiful attempt to maintain a small shred of dignity.

"Of course. You are Tsunade Senju, the Godaime Hokage of the Leaf Village. Why are yo-"

"Who is he?" Tsunade interrupted briskly, nodding to Naruto.

Hinata felt her blush flare to life again but forced herself to answer, paying close attention to her words to keep from stuttering again. "Naruto Uzumaki." She kept her answer short, hoping it would keep her from embarrassing herself further.

"What is your name?"

"Lady Tsunade, really, what is the purpose of this? I don't understand," Hinata began, her frustration mounting, and a small amount of panic beginning to set in, before Tsunade once again interrupted her.

"Just answer the question!"

"_Hinata Hyuga!_" the frustrated girl replied, exasperation coloring her words. She was so frustrated and confused by this point she didn't see the renewed looks of shock on Naruto and Tsunade's faces. "Why are you asking me these pointless questions? What happened to me, why am I here?"

"Hinata, can you tell me the last mission you completed?" Tsunade asked, still ignoring Hinata's questions.

This time, she hesitated. Her mind was still foggy and she couldn't piece things together properly. She could recall small bits, little moments, but nothing was cohesive, nothing fit together. Had she searched for the Bikochu beetle before or after her mission to escort that snooty diplomat? The arena from the Chunin exams merged with her spars with Hanabi. She couldn't remember the last mission she had completed, what the objective had been or who she had worked with. She couldn't properly remember any of her missions.

Tsunade could see her struggling and spoke before Hinata had to admit she couldn't remember. "Your last mission was a search and rescue that turned into a hostage situation. During the fight that broke out you were caught in a landslide jutsu and got pretty roughed up. Thankfully Sakura was on the mission with you and was able to provide immediate medical care, but even so, you had severe internal bleeding around your brain. We've done all we can with jutsu up to this point but if we continue to speed your healing process it could cause more problems than it would solve. Unfortunately, you're just going to have to be patient and wait for your body to recover." Tsunade spoke in that practiced sterile tone all doctors have, laying out the facts quickly and concisely, all business. Hinata couldn't decide if it was a blessing, because she was quickly given information she desperately wanted, or a curse, because she knew a hammer blow was coming.

"The way you've been acting since you woke up and some of the answers you've given me lead me to suspect that you have a small degree of amnesia." Hinata was beginning to loath that little spark of panic that kept jabbing in her chest. However, Tsunade must have seen some of her inner turmoil on her face because she raised a calming hand and smiled gently. "It's not as bad as it sounds. You are incredibly coherent, but there are some details that aren't matching up. Your name, for example-"

"What's wrong with my name?" Hinata couldn't help but ask. She knew it was rude to interrupt but her desire to understand what was happening to her overrode her desire to obey etiquette. Tsunade gave her a reprimanding look but continued on.

"Some large things have changed in your life recently, in the last year or two, and your memory of that could be affected by the blow to your head. It will take a little more work to discover what exactly you may be missing and what is still around, but we can work with this. I know it's asking a lot, but I'll need you to be patient. If my theory is right, the excess bleeding in your skull has put pressure on your brain, which could lead to memory loss. It's very likely that when the swelling goes down, your memory will return-

"And if it doesn't?" Both women turned to Naruto, surprised he had spoken. Hinata was astounded by his reaction. His face was pale, his hands were clenched into fists and his expressive eyes seemed to be swimming in panic and fear. His voice was low and rough with emotion. "What happens if her memory doesn't come back?"

"Then we'll deal with it." Tsunade answered deliberately. She stared the young man down, daring him to cause more trouble and see what happened. "For now, the important thing is getting you well again, Hinata. We'll worry about your memory when it becomes a real issue.

"Now, I still need to examine your ribs and make sure they're healing properly. Naruto, if you could step out into the hallway, it would be appreciated." Tsunade's words seemed to knock the blond man out of a daze, his unfocused gaze meeting Tsunade's like he was confused before his expression cleared and he nodded.

"Uh, yeah. Sorry." He crossed to the door as if he was in a daze and glanced over his shoulder at Hinata once before turning and leaving quickly. There had been something in his eyes. Belatedly, Hinata realized it was sorrow.

"What did I do wrong?" Hinata asked as Tsunade gently tugged down the front of her gown and began gently pressing on her bandaged ribs. A small frown of concentration puckered her brows, but Tsunade answered absently.

"You didn't do anything. None of this is your fault and he knows that. He isn't angry with you."

"But he was upset," Hinata argued before wincing when Tsunade pressed a particularly sensitive spot.

"Of course he was upset, and when you remember things you'll understand why. But that's not important right now." Tsunade stepped back and began retying Hinata's gown behind her back. "Naruto will be fine. He's dealt with worse. The important thing right now is to make sure you make a full recovery," she repeated firmly.

With Naruto's strange behavior still bothering her, Hinata nodded hesitantly. Tsunade nodded in return, an understanding passing between them before she smiled encouragingly and began making more notes on her clipboard.

"All right, Hinata. You should probably get some more rest. I'll be back to check on you tomorrow. If you need anything, that button will call a nurse or Sakura." Tsunade pointed to the little button Naruto had pushed earlier before she turned and made her way to the door. Hinata saw her one chance at a few answers making an escape.

A small burst of panic sparked in her chest and Hinata couldn't hold back her words, despite agreeing with Tsunade that she wouldn't worry about Naruto right now. She couldn't help herself and she called to the Hokage before her chance was gone.

"Lady Tsunade! Please… Why is Naruto so upset?" Tsunade gave her a strange look for a moment and turned to face her, her expression guarded and giving nothing away.

"Why wouldn't he be upset? One of his precious people is in the hospital with amnesia."

Hinata shook her head, her fingers knotting together in her lap. "It's more than that. Naruto would be worried if anything happened to any of his precious people, I'm not saying that. But he was here while I was asleep. He was waiting for me to wake up." Tsunade didn't seem to understand the significance of Hinata's words and with the heat of her blush coloring her face, Hinata forced herself to speak plainly and boldly. "Naruto and I are friends…but that's as far as it goes. I'm not saying it's unusual for him to visit me, but it is unusual for him to sit here for hours, waiting for me to wake up. We are friends but we are not close."

Understanding dawned on Tsunade's face and she sighed tiredly. "You're closer than you remember, Hinata. You're right, spending endless hours at a hurt friend's bedside would be a little strange. But it's not strange for a man to wait at the side of his injured wife." Hinata's train of thought promptly slammed into an iron wall.

Shock. That was all she could feel as Tsunade's words repeated again and again, tumbling over each other in her mind. She sputtered for a reply and managed a few disjointed words. "But-… we-we're not… N-Naruto and I-"

"Yes, you are Hinata," Tsunade interrupts gently, a bittersweet smile on her face. "We told you, there have been some big changes in your life in the past two years or so, and that's one of them. Naruto is your husband."

_Naruto is your husband_. How many times had Hinata wished those words were true? How many times had she imagined being with Naruto, loving him and having him love her? She couldn't even begin to guess.

Yet here she sat, in a hospital bed with the Hokage telling her it was so. Her greatest wish had become reality and she didn't even remember it. She hardly dared to believe it. But even as her head told her it wasn't possible she began looking at the evidence.

A marriage certainly explained Naruto's behavior, both his anxious worry and his sudden familiarity with her.

_It's not like I've never seen you naked._ Hinata's blush flared as she remembered his words. That certainly made more sense. The easy way he touched her, the casualness with which he had untied her gown - Hinata felt a little lightheaded for a moment at the implications. He was no stranger to undressing her.

"Is this real?" She didn't realize she had spoken aloud until Tsunade answered her.

"It is." When Hinata looked at her, Tsunade was giving her another encouraging smile. "I know it's a lot to take in. Things have changed, and it's going to be confusing for a while, but he _does_ love you, Hinata. We'll be here every step of the way. You don't need to worry about anything, ok?"

She nodded, trying to feel confident and Tsunade moved to the door. "Would you like a little time to yourself? Or can Naruto come back in?"

Hinata wasn't sure what to answer. On the one hand, she had always jumped at any chance to spend more time with Naruto. On the other, she really had no idea where they stood and she wasn't sure if she could handle it.

Unbidden, the image of Naruto's bright smile flashed in her mind. That shining, face-splitting, smile that had given her hope when she was a sad, scared little girl and the burning desire to see it again flared in her chest. She could use a little encouragement, she decided.

"He can come back in." Tsunade smiled one final time and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her. She expected it to open immediately and was surprised when it didn't. In fact it was several minutes before the door opened again. Hinata's eyes had returned to the clock as she waited and she watched the hands tick away, trying to be patient as the minutes slowly trickled by.

**XXX**

**Here is the end of the first part. The second half will be about 1000 words longer, and I promise I won't wait too long before posting it. It is already complete, so you need have no fear of this going unfinished. As always my dears, let me know what you think. BentShurikan, this goes doubly for you!**

**Happy reading! **

**Tenneyshoes**


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, wow guys, I am really sorry! Time sort of got away from me. I got really sick and then I've been dealing with some personal stuff that distracted me from getting this up. I am so sorry! I never intended to take this long between chapters. I know I'm also a few days behind on NH Month and I'll try to catch up soon.**

**Reviews, really fast!**

**Victoria: I'm so glad to hear you liked Sparks and TPWW! And I'm glad you are loving this! I hope you love this chapter as much as the first.**

**Mexihinatalover: Thank you, and again, really sorry about taking so long!**

**Guest#1: This was never meant to be a full-blown story. That's how I'm wrapping it up in two chapters. Maybe once I finish the five other stories I am working on, I'll revisit this one, but since it's a redundant theme anyways, I'm going to leave it like this for now.**

**Mai: No! Don't die! I need you to review! ;) Enjoy!**

**Tree: I am so sorry! Please forgive me and take this humble offering of a chapter as a gift.**

**Hqhqhq: Your wish is my command!**

**Guest#2: Oh, stop it, you! I'm really not. I'm glad you love it though!**

**Guest#3: Please! You people are going to be the death of me with your kind words!**

**Pia: I'm worried this chapter isn't going to be enough for you! I hope you aren't disappointed!**

**Layla-kyoyama: You my dear, have disabled my ability to pm you, so I am replying here. Thank you! You are much to sweet!**

**XXX**

When the door opened again, her eyes snapped to Naruto, standing bashfully in the doorway. One hand was on the door and the other was buried deep in his pocket as he watched her uncertainly before he stepped in and closed the door behind him.

"Hey." His greeting was soft and uncertain, like he was approaching a wild animal and Hinata smiled to put him at ease.

"Hey," she echoed softly, trying to ignore how awkward she felt.

"Uh, Granny said she told you… I promise, I wasn't trying to be a pervert when I said I'd seen you-…" His words came out in a rushed jumble before he cut them off abruptly, rubbing the back of his head. He tried again, opening his mouth to speak before seemingly thinking better of it and his teeth clamped shut with an audible click. An awkward silence stretched between them for a moment, neither sure what to say before Naruto seemed to come to a decision. His shoulders straightened and he met her eyes squarely with a slight smile. "I'm really glad you're ok."

She felt herself blush and looked down to her hands folded in her lap, shyly. "Thank you." Naruto crossed back to the chair he had been sleeping in and sat, searching for a topic of conversation.

"Everyone's been in to see you, when they get a chance," he said, gesturing to the table overflowing with flowers and get well cards.

"Has my father?" she asked, honestly curious. She wondered what state her relationship with the man was in after two years.

"Uh…no," Naruto answered in a small voice. When Naruto saw the sad frown on her face he rushed to explain. "It's not that he doesn't want to come see you. He does! He's just… not allowed to."

Hinata looked at him sharply, confused by his answer. "Why not?"

Naruto hesitated, like he didn't want to say why, but with a grimace on his face told her.

"Your father was forced to publically disown you when you chose to marry me. It's kind of like an unwritten rule that he can't see you just because he wants to. That council of bastards forced him into a deadlock and said that as the heiress you had to marry inside the clan or forfeit your position to Hanabi and become a member of the branch family."

Hinata's hand flew to her forehead before she realized what she was doing. There, under her soft bangs, the stiff rough texture of a bandage met her fingers. Everything else vanished. Nothing existed except that wrapping around her forehead, hiding her shame. Her chest felt tight and it was hard to draw in breath. She was panicking, she realized distantly, but there was nothing she could do to stop it! The breath she could catch came in huge, rattling, gasps. Her entire body was shaking and her fingers began to claw under the edges of the bandage.

Suddenly her vision was filled by blue, blue eyes, giving her something to focus on in the panic. Warm hands tugged her fingers away from the fabric around her head and framed her face gently but insistently, forcing her to meet those eyes. Slowly, the words he was speaking began to make sense.

"'Nata, you're _okay_. Calm down, Hime, nothing is wrong, you're ok. You haven't been sealed, it's not what you think. Just _calm down_, Hime. I'll explain everything but I need you to _calm down_. Deep breaths, Hime, come on, in..." Naruto slowly sucked in a deep breath and then carefully released it. "…out… in… _breathe_, Hinata…" with difficulty, through her gasps and hiccups, Hinata sucked in a deep breath, mirroring him. The worried lines across his face smoothed out and suddenly she was floored by the full effect of his gorgeous smile. "Good girl, now out…" he murmured, slowly breathing out and nodding encouragingly when she followed his example. He continued coaching her, even after the heart rate monitor had returned to normal, beeping in a measured consistency.

His hands still gently cradled her face when she belatedly realized he was perched on the side of her bed. He sat close to her, closer than he had ever been, and the length of his thigh pressed against hers until his knee bent to hang off the bed by her hip. He was watching her closely, to make sure she didn't start hyperventilating again probably, and slowly, his hands fell from her cheeks, but one caught at her shoulder, his fingers cupping around to the nape of her neck where they delved into her hair.

"You're ok. I promise," he repeated deliberately as his fingers soothingly combed through her hair in short strokes. She'd lost count of how many times he had said that since her panicking had begun and she tried, she really tried, to believe him.

"I…" she started, but the words caught in her throat painfully and her lungs forced in a shaky breath. She tried again. "I'm a member of the Branch Family." Saying the words aloud was like a kick to the gut, but Naruto was contradicting her a fraction of a second later.

"No, you're not," he said, shaking his head. He hesitated, like he didn't want to tell her the next bit, watching her warily before he continued. "You're not a Hyuga at all."

Horror engulfed her as her eyes found his, seeing the truth in them. It was worse than she could have ever imagined. All her life she had stared down the possibility that she could one day be sentenced to a life in the branch house, sealed and subservient, but as the years passed and the hammer stroke never fell, she had begun to hope that it wouldn't. She had hoped that she would one day be strong enough to prove to her father and the clan that she was worthy of the title 'Heiress'. She had never imagined that her disgrace would be so spectacular and complete that she would be expelled from the clan entirely.

Naruto was speaking again, and as always, his voice called to her in the depths of her despair. "It's not as bad as you think, Hime. You weren't disowned because of any failure on your part. You were the heiress and if it hadn't been for me, you would have been Clan Head by the end of the next year." His fingers were still smoothing through her hair with a hypnotic pressure that compelled her to listen. "But then you announced that we were going to get married and…not everyone liked that idea. The heiress was supposed to marry inside the Clan…" She nodded. She knew the traditions of her clan painfully well.

"The elders were howling for your disinheritance and sealing and your father took the only path he could. He found a loophole. He couldn't stand the thought of sealing you, and there was no way in _hell_ I was going to let it happen." His warm had closed around one of hers, resting in her lap, and the warm pressure further calmed her. It was a strange power he held, she mused distantly. "So we began looking for a way out, and he found one. By disowning you from the clan, stripping you of being a Hyuga at all, you are no longer bound by clan law. You don't have the Caged-Bird Seal-"

Hinata interrupted, her fingers rubbing the bandage around her head as if its very existence proved him wrong. "But my-"

"No, Hinata. The bandage is there because you injured your head on your mission. It's not there to cover a seal." His voice was soothing and his thumb was gently rubbing a spot under her ear that was remarkably calming. If she didn't know better, she would think he was doing all of those little gestures on purpose.

_I don't know better_ she realized with a jolt.

"I don't understand," she persisted, ignoring the depths of their relationship for the moment. "How does _disowning me_ keep me from being sealed? One of the purposes of the seal is to protect the Byakugan from _being outside the Clan._"

"It's really complicated. There was a lot of legal stuff that went into it, but the basics were that one clan can't interfere with the affairs of another." Hinata frowned, still not understanding and Naruto struggled to explain. "You know how there are laws that dictate what clans are allowed to do and what falls under the Hokage's jurisdiction? How clans are allowed to make laws for their people and the Hokage can't meddle in them, but he can make laws that bind them as shinobi of the village?" Hinata nodded slowly before he continued. "The Caged-Bird Sealing is a Clan law. Only members of the Hyuga family have to abide by it. When your father declared that you were no longer Hyuga, you were technically exempt from the sealing. The elders tried to drag it out further trying to play on the fact that just because you weren't Hyuga didn't mean they couldn't seal you. They said a nameless person with the Byakugan was a threat that needed to be taken care of. We finally beat them when I claimed you as an Uzumaki." He hesitated again, dropping her gaze and instead staring at their joined hands in her lap, his fingers playing with hers shyly. "You're not a Hyuga anymore because you chose to become my wife."

A strange feeling Hinata couldn't quite name began to grow in her chest. There he went again, telling her that her greatest dream had come true like it was the simplest fact in the world.

"That's why Tsunade knew something was wrong when you said your name was Hinata _Hyuga_. You haven't been a Hyuga in almost a year and a half. You're an Uzumaki now." He was staring into her eyes, worry lining his face and his fingers were still buried in the hair at the nape of her neck, soothing her with short soft strokes.

"We really are married?" she asked uncertainly. It seemed like a silly thing to focus on in the midst of everything else she was learning, but she couldn't help it.

Again, that gorgeous smile nearly stole her breath, and she exhaled sharply. He looked so truly _happy_. There was no other way to describe that breathtaking smile and he carefully tugged their joined hands into his lap, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze.

"Yeah. We really are. And we're really, _really_ happy."

Hinata found she couldn't hold his gaze. She had dreamed about him looking at her like that, his eyes so full of love and devotion that she had never really thought about what she would do when it happened. She found she wasn't quite prepared for it and quickly changed the subject.

"What happened to me? On the mission?" Naruto's hand tightened around her fingers, not in reassurance this time, and when she peeked at his face. His expression had turned stony.

"I told Granny I should have gone with you but she said I wasn't necessary." If he was trying to hide his bitterness in his voice, he wasn't doing a very good job of it. "You, Shino, Kiba, and Sakura were on a search and rescue mission for a couple of civilian hikers that got lost up in the mountains. You found them but you stumbled into a slaver ring and things got a little messy. One of the slavers had a pretty nasty earth jutsu that he tried to bury you guys in.

"Sakura said you would have been fine if one of the hikers hadn't been injured. You tried to save him but the jutsu swept you down a ravine where you got hurt."

"Is he-"

"The hiker is fine," Naruto assured, anticipating her worry with a little amusement. "You _would_ worry about a nameless stranger before yourself," he scolded affectionately and Hinata ducked her head bashfully under his light teasing.

"How long will I take to heal?"

Naruto grimaced a little and shrugged uncertainly. "A while. You have three cracked ribs, one broken rib, a shattered femur… It's gonna take time. And with this amnesia, Tsunade's a little worried that other complications may show up."

Hinata nodded not entirely surprised. "Will I remain here the entire time?" Naruto seemed to realize he was still holding her hand and abruptly released it, leaning away and instead burying his hands in his pockets as be blushed lightly.

"That's, uh… one possibility." He wouldn't hold her gaze, his eyes darting away and then sneaking glances repeatedly. He shrugged his shoulders trying to be casual, but she could see right through him. "Or, you could, ya know… come home. With me." He looked nervous and anxious as he avoided her eyes, fiddling with something in his pocket.

Hinata took a moment to observe him. It was fascinating because she had never seen him act like this before: blushing and timid and nervous. Then the reality of what he'd said actually hit her. _Go home. With Naruto_. Heat flooded her face as she imagined it.

"Don't feel like you have to!" Naruto immediately told her, sounding more than a little embarrassed and panicked. "It's fine if you don't want to. I'm sure you could stay with Sakura or TenTen or Ino, or Kiba or Shino. Heck, Shikamaru or Choji would probably even take you if it was a problem."

"I'd like that." Her voice was small and she wondered for a moment if Naruto had even heard her and she felt she had to clarify. Trying to force her voice to a normal speaking level, with little success, she said, "Going home with you, I mean. I'd like that." He didn't answer for a moment and she worried that he hadn't heard her and she would have to gather all that courage again but then that beautiful smile that was bright enough to rival the sun, the one she loved, erupted across his face and he reached forward to take her hand again.

"Okay! As soon as Granny Tsunade clears you, we'll go home."

XXX

She really was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Even with her body half broken, small clean cuts peppering her soft ivory skin, and a starchy bandage mussing her hair, Naruto couldn't take his eyes off of her.

She had fallen asleep a few hours ago. Her leg had begun to throb and the pain meds she'd taken had made her drowsy. He was reclined in the uncomfortable hospital chair beside her bed, simply observing her. Watching over her.

_You'd think they'd make these damn chairs more comfortable,_ he grumbled to himself as he shifted briefly. _It's almost like they don't even want visitors._ Finally finding a comfortable position he hoped would last more than three minutes, Naruto's attention returned to his wife.

His fingers fiddled with her ring and absently he pulled it from his pocket and considered it. It was a simple ring, beautiful in its austerity. A single square diamond, framed on either side by two cobalt pearls set in a silver band with whirlpool motifs. Hinata had fallen in love with it the moment he had offered it to her.

The first thing he had done upon entering her room after her return from her mission had been to slip that ring back onto her finger. He regretted taking it off now, even if it had perhaps made things easier.

As the hours had trickled by he had waited for her to wake up and in an attempt to quail his boredom, he had tugged her ring off to play with it. He always had her ring with him when she was away and he had formed a habit of playing with it. He had finally fallen asleep with it still in his hand and then she had woken up and he couldn't think of a way to offer it to her again. It seemed like he would be asking too much.

His mind drifted to his conversation with Tsunade in the hallway.

After Hinata had asked for a bit of privacy during Tsunade's examination Naruto had stepped into the hall, only barely managing to wait until the door was closed behind him before allowing the panic welling inside of him to come out. He had paced nervously for several minutes, anxiously walking back and forth, staring at her door on each pass. When pacing had solved nothing he had forced himself to stand still against the wall, folding his arms tightly in an attempt to control himself. It hadn't lasted very long before he was away from the wall and tugging at his hair, his mind racing for an explanation. Trying to think of what he would do if Hinata really didn't remember him, them.

Tsunade had explained all she knew to him, her calming presence soothing his nerves a little. She was confident Hinata's amnesia was not permanent. With time, the excess pressure on her brain would ease and her memories would return. It was just waiting for that time that would be difficult.

Now as Naruto sat beside her, he wasn't entirely sure how to approach the situation. He knew he could be a little overwhelming at times. He didn't want to make Hinata uncomfortable, but he also didn't want her to leave his side. He craved her presence more than air! He could not describe the relief he had felt when she had agreed to go home with him.

He knew she still loved him. Her memories were jumbled but she had loved him for _years_. She would only be hesitant to leap into a strong developed relationship where she remembered no foundation. Naruto would have to tread very carefully if he was going to avoid upsetting her. But perhaps that was the solution.

He could start their relationship from the beginning again! Take her out on dates and slowly woo her. With a soft grin, Naruto settled into his chair and began planning their first date.

XXX

It was a few days before Tsunade actually gave them the clear. Hinata's leg and ribs were healing well and Tsunade said as long as she was careful and remained on bed rest, she should be fine at home.

Naruto barely left her hospital room. He would stay with her when she was awake, talking about anything they could think of while carefully skirting around the issue of their relationship. When she fell asleep he would sneak out and go home to shower and get clean clothes before returning, usually before she woke and with something for her. He would bring her a favorite book or flowers to press or ramen so they could eat together.

The morning Hinata was released from the hospital Naruto was never more than two feet from her side. With the utmost care he helped her and Sakura navigate the painful transition from bed to wheelchair and then proudly wheeled her out of the room. He quickly handled what little paperwork was needed and then rolled her out into the bright sunshine.

As she was ushered through the village, Hinata took in everything around her. Despite what she had expected, not much had changed. Some shops had fresh coats of paint, some looked a little worse for wear than she remembered, but the smiling people hadn't changed at all. Naruto took her along the river, explaining it was her favorite place to walk. She couldn't remember any specific walks she had taken along the water but she did remember she loved to listen to the river as it rushed along. She decided it was better to let him babble than possibly embarrass him by trying to deny anything and before long she sat in her wheelchair as Naruto contemplated the stairs up to their apartment.

Hinata peeked over her shoulder at him as he leaned heavily against the handles of her wheelchair, a frown on his face. He nodded to himself before standing up straight and making a familiar hand sign.

"Shadow clones, it is." With a poof of smoke, a second Naruto stood beside them. The original stepped around to the front of Hinata and with more gentility than she ever would have thought possible of the hyperactive man and faster than she could really register events, lifted her into his arms. "Grab the chair, would ya?" he commanded his clone before turning and walking up the steps. He was so careful with her Hinata only felt a dull throb in her leg and ribs when he first picked her up. Her blush distracted her from the pain and with an arm wrapped tightly around his shoulders to help support her, Hinata buried her face in his jacket, if only so he couldn't see her flaming cheeks.

It wasn't until they were inside that curiosity gave her the courage to peek out from her hiding place. The apartment was small but clean and neat. Pictures hung on walls and decorated end tables in the hall and living room, but Naruto didn't give her a chance to catch much else. He quickly crossed to the back of the apartment and stepped into a bedroom dominated by a large, comfortable looking bed. As he settled her onto the sheets, his clone clambered through the door with her wheelchair before smirking at them, giving a lazy salute and popping.

Naruto pulled the covers over Hinata's legs, tucking her in and smiling nervously at her.

"Is this ok? Are you comfortable?"

Hinata felt her face flush but she nodded. "I'm fine." He was doing it again. Just watching her and the undivided attention made her embarrassingly fidgety. As she starred down at the comforter in her lap, her fingers twisting the seam, the reality of where exactly she was hit her full force. She was in Naruto's apartment. She was in Naruto's _bed._

_Our bed,_ she reminded herself, her face growing even hotter.

"Do you need anything? Food? Water? Something to read?" He seemed so anxious to serve her but the attention was a little overwhelming and she needed a minute to herself.

"Some water, please?" she asked timidly and Naruto practically ran out of the room to obey.

"Be right back!" he promised disappearing through the doorway.

She could feel her blush still glowing hotly in her face and looked around for a distraction. Her eyes caught a picture frame sitting on the nightstand on the other side of the bed. It was a column frame with several pictures arranged like a photo roll and Hinata's curiosity got the better of her. She couldn't look away. Unfortunately, the pictures did not help calm her blush.

It was a collection of selfies Naruto had taken. His arm extended off the right side of each picture, his bright smile in each of them.

The first picture accomplished the impossible by making Hinata's blush even worse. She was beginning to feel light headed with all of the blood rushing to her face, but she couldn't tear her eyes away. In the photo Naruto was smiling at the camera, a cocky smirk. The expression 'the cat who caught the canary' came to her mind. Hinata was also in the picture but only part of her face was visible. The two of them were close together, Hinata's face buried in Naruto's neck and she could see a bed sheet pulled high up her back. But not high enough to cover the fact that both of them were topless. As she looked closer at the first photo, Hinata could see that her little counterpart was heatedly kissing Naruto's neck.

Almost afraid to, Hinata's eyes lowered to the next picture, which could only have been taken moments later. Naruto was still smiling that bright, cocky smile but she was now looking to the camera with shock and surprise all over her face. In the next her cherry red face was buried in her hands, pressed against Naruto's bare shoulder and in the final shot Naruto was roaring with laughter and Hinata had disappeared under the sheet.

The fact that these photos existed spoke monumentally for Hinata's missing past. She was surprised that a situation had arisen to even allow those pictures to exist, let alone that she would let Naruto keep them beside their bed.

A sharp intake of breath finally managed to break Hinata's embarrassed fascination and she looked to the doorway to see Naruto standing stiffly, a glass of water in one hand. He quickly crossed the room and snatched up the picture frame, holding it behind his back, his ears tinted a light red.

"Sorry!" he blurted anxiously. "I forgot about it." Perhaps hoping to distract her, Naruto offered the glass of water. Out of habit more than anything, Hinata took the glass and tried to meet Naruto's eyes, her face still flaming.

"I let you keep that there?"

"Ahh…" Naruto hesitated, rubbing the back of his head with his now free hand. "You didn't really have much of a choice." He must have seen how confused she was because he hesitantly brought the frame out from behind his back, careful to not let her see it, and smiled softly down at the photos as he explained wistfully.

"These are my favorite pictures of us. I took them the morning after our wedding. I thought that was the happiest day of my life. It was the first time I'd woken up with you right there and I realized I would get that for the rest of my life and I was so happy, I wanted to remember it. I was wrong though." With that soft smile still on his face, Naruto looked up from the photos. "I thought that was the happiest day of my life, but every single day since then has been better than the last. So I wanted to keep these pictures, that mark the beginning of it all, where I could see them every single day.

"You tried to stop me. But it's my side of the bed and I can have whatever I want over here," he joked, laughing a little at his own ridiculous behavior. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel weird. I forgot I'd left these out."

The way he phrased it made her curious. Had he hidden other things, other pieces of their life together, so that she would not be embarrassed or feel uncomfortable?

As she thought about it, she found she was upset by the idea. That wasn't what she wanted. True, she disliked awkward situations, but she didn't want Naruto walking on eggshells around her. That wasn't fair to either of them. And she wanted to know about their life together. She wanted to see pictures and hear stories and talk to him. She wanted to know how they had fallen in love.

All right, so she had always been in love with him. Maybe it was selfish but she wanted to know how _he_ had fallen for _her._ She didn't want him changing his life, the way he did things, because he was afraid it would upset her. She wanted him to be happy. Denying a part of his life wouldn't make him happy, she knew. Gulping down her nerves, she spoke in a small voice.

"You don't have to put it away. The picture, I mean," she clarified when he cocked his head to the side, confused. "You can leave it there. And put back anything else you moved because of me."

He seemed hesitant. She could read the emotion in his eyes as if it were written in bold letters across his forehead. "Are you sure?" he asked cautiously. "I don't want to upset you. I know you don't remember asking for any of this."

Embarrassment washed over her and she couldn't hold his gaze. Just because she had never voiced her desires aloud didn't mean she hadn't wished to be in this place more times than she could count. "I still love you," she muttered quietly, her fingers playing with the edge of the comforter. "I may not remember how we got here, but I've loved you much longer than you've had feelings for me. It's just a little…surreal to wake up and have my wildest dreams right in front of me." Daringly, she peaked up at him through her lashes. He was watching her closely, the picture frame still held tightly in his hands as a soft fond smile played on his lips. "Don't change the way our life together has been just because you're afraid of upsetting me. Please."

He was watching her closely still, and a small chuckle bubbled up past his lips after a moment. He looked down to the frame in his hands and a thumb brushed against the glass gently.

"If you remembered everything you would take any chance you could get to make me put these pictures away." His blue eyes flashed up to hers again, filled with mischief. "But if you insist!" With a victorious flourish he fixed the picture back on his night stand. Hinata had the distinct feeling she would come to regret that decision when her memory began to return.

The rest of the day passed with only a small bit of awkwardness on Hinata's part. Naruto seemed to take her words to heart. He moved through the house naturally, as if caring for his injured wife was an everyday occurrence. Hinata hoped it wasn't.

He was back to that easy casualness he had displayed when she had first woken up in the hospital. He fluffed her pillows for her and made her food and answered any questions she had. After a briefly awkward moment with the shower, Hinata had asked to be taken out to the living room for a change of scenery. After Naruto had gently deposited her on the sofa she picked a movie, which he quickly started.

And before she knew what was happening, he was settling in beside her to watch it as well. As Naruto stretched out cross-wise on the couch and propped his head against her good leg Hinata took a moment to consider her situation.

She had always known it was a long shot, that she could maybe one day share a life with him but the past few days had been filled with such compassion and care from Naruto that Hinata almost didn't want to question how any of it had happened. Here was the life she had always dreamed of, literally settled in her lap. It almost seemed unwise to tempt fate by asking questions.

By any standard of propriety, Hinata should have been appalled by the casual familiarity Naruto shared with her. And ashamed by the fact that she wasn't at all ashamed. But every small gesture of affection and concern from him was so natural and effortless and, she thought just maybe, thoughtless, like to him this was just the way life was _meant_ to be, she couldn't find it in herself to be embarrassed when he did something sweet.

Naruto laughed at something in the movie, drawing Hinata's attention outward and she watched him for a moment. He was captivated by the movie, but his smile was still present. That incredibly gorgeous smile she loved so much. His head still pressed into her leg and his arms were folded over his broad chest, while his long legs stretched over the far arm of the couch. Unable to resist, Hinata gently combed her fingers through his bright hair, drawing his attention.

He looked up at her, an open expression on his face although the undertones of his smile were still present.

"What's up? Everything ok?" he asked, now entirely focused on her. A warm rightness grew in Hinata's chest and she smiled down at him, a bit shyly.

"I'm fine," she told him, offering a small smile, which he returned tenfold. As he returned to the movie a weight seemed to lift off of Hinata's shoulders. She may not remember everything, but she was supposed to be here. Whatever unexpected twists and turns her life had taken didn't matter if it meant they had led her to this moment. Even if her memories never returned, she would be ok. Naruto would look after her, and if she was beside him, she would never fail.

**XXX**

**Sheesh! This one kicked my trash! Obviously it is a similar theme to TPWW, with a slight twist. Again I say, this has nothing to do with the universe I have been creating in TPWW and Sparks. It was simply the attempt at fulfilling a request with an interesting prompt. **

**Quite a few of you have asked me to make this longer than two chapters, but it was never meant to be a full-blown story. There is no plot, there is no mystical mumbo jumbo explanation for Hinata's amnesia. I hope you guys enjoyed it! Let me know! You all know how I love to hear what you think! Please, don't hesitate to give me good and bad points, I know this one has many bad spots. Also, don't hesitate to let me know what you would like to see, and I'll do my best to deliver.**

**Also, has anyone read the Queen's Thief Series by Megan Whalen Turner? I reread them while I was sick and was reminded how much I **_**absolutely freaking love those books!**_** Seriously, they are so incredible but I need more and there is no more and there is no fandom so I'm just here, alone with my feels. If you have read them, please, message me and talk about them with me. If you haven't, go read them and then message me and talk about them with me! They are so incredible and they need a fandom and I need help!**

**As always, my dears, Happy reading!**

**Tenneyshoes**


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